(Photo via Reece Andrews/WCSN)
Arizona State women’s soccer won in a nail-biter 3-2 at Colorado after graduate midfielder Eva van Deursen scored her second goal of the game in the 89th and final minute to secure the first Pac-12 Conference win of the season.
The Sun Devils had an early scoring opportunity in the seventh minute with a corner kick by senior midfielder Alexia Delgado, but it was defended well by the Buffaloes. This would be the only corner kick for either team in the first half.
van Deursen had the first shot attempt for either team in the 15th minute, but it was blocked before it could reach the goal. A few minutes later, senior forward Civanna Kuhlmann had the first shot attempt for the Buffaloes in the 18th minute as she missed out top.
Junior defender Lucy Johnson was issued a yellow card after an aggressive tackle attempt on fifth year forward Kayleigh Webb in the 19th minute. Johnson was also called on a foul just a minute earlier, with her aggression shining through. The junior was a microcosm of how the Sun Devils played defensively as they were called on four fouls, including Johnson’s two, in the first 20 minutes of play.
Kuhlmann had her second shot attempt in the 21st minute, but she missed it out left. It appeared that Kuhlmann may have been injured on the play as she was replaced in the 23rd minute for senior midfielder Amaya Gonzalez.
Fifth year defender Hannah Cardenas committed a foul just outside the penalty box in the 29th minute. That Colorado foul was costly, as Delgado buried the ball in the top right corner of the goal on a free kick in the 30th minute to take a 1-0 lead.
Junior forward Shyra James had an open shot after senior defender Lieske Carleer’s failed tackle attempt, but James shot it above the goal in the 37th minute. The Buffaloes would get another attempt right before the end of the first period as sophomore midfielder Jenny Beyer shot the ball on net, but freshman goalkeeper Pauline Nelles earned her first save of the game by absorbing the slow roller.
The Sun Devils had three shots on goal in the span of a couple minutes. van Deursen scored off a well-executed give-and-go action with graduate forward Nicole Douglas, who was credited with the assist. James and Douglas are the top-two scorers in the Pac-12, but neither of them scored in the match.
In the 70th minute, freshman midfielder Juliauna Hayward shot the ball just outside the penalty box off her left foot and it bounced off the left post into the goal. This gave the Buffaloes momentum, as Kuhlmann also scored off her left foot to the far side of the goal off an assist from sophomore defender Phoenix Miranda two minutes later. Kuhlmann was noticeably limping after her goal due to a collision in the first period.
The Buffaloes threatened to take the lead in the 74th minute when James’ shot on goal was saved by Nelles. The clutch save shifted the momentum of the game as the Sun Devils’ defense did not allow another shot attempt for the rest of the game.
With time running out, van Deursen launched the ball from deep on the pitch in a desperate attempt to break the tie. Senior goalkeeper Dani Hansen got a hand on the ball, but it hit inside the crossbar and was initially called a goal.
The Buffaloes were bewildered as they thought Hansen had saved the ball before it broke the goal line. After a long wait, the referees decided that the goal would stand, giving the Sun Devils a 3-2 lead with three seconds left in the match. van Deursen’s match-winning goal – her second of the night – did just enough for ASU to reach a 5-0-2 record on the season.
The Sun Devils will carry the momentum from this match into their next matchup at home against California on Sept. 29.
